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General Director David Gockley’s final season features some of his favorites: Verdi’s Don Carlo, Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, Janáček’s Jenůfa and a new production of Carmen. Secure your seats and subscribe today!

San Francisco Opera invites you and your family to attend FREE screenings of our Opera-in-an-Hour Movies presented throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. To learn about where you can catch a screening of our family friendly operas, click here.

If you’re a young professional who likes opera and has a passion for the arts, chances are you’ve already heard about the annual BRAVO! CLUB Opening Night Gala, to be held this year on September 11th. But have you ever wondered what it takes to pull off such an event, and who makes it all happen?

We comprise the dynamic duo behind the 2015 Gala curtain. As Gala Co-Chairs (and BRAVO! CLUB Board Members), we are responsible for not only planning every detail of this stunning event, but also for increasing awareness and passion for opera as a whole, particularly among the vibrant community of young professionals here in San Francisco.

We asked and you answered! We reached out to our brilliant opera fans via social media for their top #OperaTips for people who have never attended live opera before. The top 6 suggestions may surprise you. Enjoy!

Interested in learning more about our world premiere opera, Two Women? Check out the many different sides of this powerful new work!

The Story
Set during World War II, the story begins in Rome, Italy, and centers on a widowed mother (Cesira) and her teenage daughter (Rosetta). They flee during the Allied bombing of Rome to find safety in Cesira’s rural home in Ciociaria. They endure many months of hunger and suffering, and are brutally raped by a gang of Goumiers (French Army soldiers from Morocco), but overcome their tragedies and attain solace in their love for each other.

Like Cassandra, Dido is a strong, attractive woman and a compelling character whose life ends in suicide.

As a young woman, Dido is forced to flee her homeland in Phoenicia (modern Lebanon) when her husband is killed by political enemies. She leads a group of refugees who found the city of Carthage (modern Tunisia). Under Queen Dido’s leadership, the Carthaginians achieve prosperity and establish a stable society. All they lack is a king who can lead the peoples’ battles and help produce an heir.

Introduction

Backstage at San Francisco Opera is a fascinating, fast-moving, mysterious and sacred space for the Company’s singers, musicians, dancers, technicians and production crews. Musical and staging rehearsals are on-going, scenery is loaded in and taken out, lighting cues are set, costumes and wigs are moved around and everything is made ready to receive the audience. From the principal singers, chorus and orchestra musicians to the creative teams for each opera, in addition to the many talented folks who don’t take a bow on stage, this blog offers unique insight, both thought-provoking and light-hearted, into the life backstage at San Francisco Opera.